Considering the Classroom Assessment of Nature of Science

Abstract

Although there have been both contributions and debate among science educators regarding the best way to assess understanding of NOS for research purposes (Chen 2006; Chen et al. 2013; Elby and Hammer 2001; Lederman et al. 2002), teachers’ classroom strategies for assessing their students’ understanding of NOS have received only minimal attention. Studies have examined the utility of explicit approaches to teaching about NOS, which are defined as approaches in which NOS is “… intentionally planned for, taught, and assessed (emphasis added)” (Lederman et al. 2001, p. 137), yet this latter component (assessment of NOS) is often not addressed in research that examines teachers’ NOS instruction.